Oswald G Rapin

Oswald (Ozzie) G. Rapin passed away Wednesday December 4, 2019 at Waterbury Hospital after a brief illness. He was the beloved partner of 62 years (and spouse of 11 years) of Frank Gencarello of Woodbury.

Ozzie was born in Corcelles-près-Payerne, Switzerland on July 13, 1931, the youngest of Albert and Martha Rapin’s five children. He began his career at the Swiss Bank Corporation and transferred to their New York office in 1954.  While in New York, he was befriended by his supervisor, Luddy Kern, and his wife Ethel, who became a second set of parents. He and Frank moved to Chicago in 1961, where they both took jobs at Abbott Laboratories and Ozzie earned his MBA at the University of Chicago. He worked his way up the ranks, traveling globally to Abbott affiliates, and retired as Abbott’s VP of International Marketing in 1987. Upon his retirement, he and Frank moved to Woodbury where they started new careers as owners and brokers of Country Real Estate.

At 6’4”, Ozzie was both larger than life and the world’s biggest kid. He could host an elegant dinner party, yet hide a whoopee cushion under someone’s seat. He never met a baby or a dog without making his Donald Duck voice. He enjoyed world travel with Frank, exploring new places, but especially visiting family and friends, and making new life-long friends along the way. Inquisitive and knowledgeable, Ozzie found it easy to converse with almost anyone. He enjoyed classical music, theater, and cooking, and was a connoisseur of wine and cheese. 

He will be missed by his many nieces, nephews, goddaughter, and friends (many of whom wished he was their uncle!) in Switzerland, the United States, and around the world. He will be fondly remembered for his kindness, generosity, and one-of-a-kind gregarious personality.

Visitation will be held at Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home, 2 School St., Woodbury, on Saturday, December 7th from 2pm-4pm, with a brief service by Rev. John Thomason at 3:30pm. To leave an online condolence for the family please visit www.munsonloveterefuneralhome.com

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